Donald Trump is directly profiting from being president, report finds
President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers have spent more than $1 million at Trump-branded properties for political and fundraising events during Trump’s first year in office, according to a report from the Center for Responsive Politics, which shows that Trump is directly profiting from being commander in chief.
The vast majority — $784,055 — of that haul comes from Trump-related political committees, including his 2020 re-election campaign, according to the CRP report. The rest comes from the Republican National Committee and other Republican elected officials.
No Democrats have spent money at Trump-owned properties for political events, according to the report.
“Those seeking to curry favor with Trump are not only donating to his reelection campaign but holding fundraisers and galas at his resorts, private clubs and hotels — the proceeds of which benefit him and his family,” CRP said.
Trump claims to have no conflicts of interest regarding his business empire. However, he never quite fully severed ties to his businesses. He deputized his children — with whom he’s closely tied — to run them after he took office.
A handful of Republican lawmakers have also hosted political events at Trump properties.
Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-N.J.) — a vulnerable Republican House member who came under fire after playing a prominent role in the failed Obamacare repeal effort — has spent the most at Trump-branded properties, dropping $15,221, according to CRP.
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), who’s earned a reputation as being Vladimir Putin’s “favorite congressman,” as he has promoted the Russian president’s priorities, spent $12,546 at Trump-branded properties — the second highest amount from GOP lawmakers, according to CRP.
The data shows that before Trump became president, hardly any political events were held at his properties.
In the entire 2014 election cycle, just $33,926 was spent at Trump-branded properties for political events, according to CRP’s report. But the number has skyrocketed since Trump began running for president.
In the 2016 cycle, Trump, the GOP and Republican candidates spent $4.3 million at Trump-branded properties for political events, with the vast majority of that coming from Trump’s presidential campaign.
